Device for cleaning fur articles



Nov. 6 l1923.

O. HOLSTEIN DEVICE FOR CLEANING FUR ARTICLES l Filed June 14, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6,1923. 1,473,431

' o. HOLSTEIN DEVICE FOR CLEANING FUR ARTICLES Filed June 14, 1922 2 sheets-'sheet 2 @my M jai-zz ey.

Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

oTTo HOLSTEIN, or sT. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING FUR ARTICLES.

vApplication filed une 14, 1922. Serial No.` 568,118.

To all whom t may camera:

Be it known that I, OTro HOLSTEIN, a citizen of the United States, residin at St. Paul, in the county of Ramseyand tate of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for (Il/leaning Fur Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for cleaning fur articles, and more particularly. to that class of devices designed for cleaning fur garments, an object of the invention be ing the provision of a portable power driven cleaning instrumentality which may be conveniently and easily moved over a dressed pelt or garment without injury to the hairy coating or the many seams ordinarily joining the numerous skins of which a garment is made.

A further object of the invention is the provision of enclosed rotary cleaning mechanism to be used in connection with a cleaning medium such as vprepared sawdust and the like, whereby the cleaning medium is controlled to move in a cycle to thereby be repeatedly brought into contact with the fur to effect' a continuous cleaning operation as the device is moved over the surface.

Ordinarily, fur articles are cleaned by the use of a prepared medium such as sawdust, Ywhich is vigorously rubbed into the hairy coating by hand, the sawdust having been previously prepared to render it capable of scouring the hide and pick up the dust par-4 ticles from the hairy coating. In order to thoroughly cleanse the fur in this manner without injuring it, it is essential that the medium be rubbed vigorously into the same and at the same time exercise care with regard to the seams of the various skins so that the abrasion vwill not rend the threads of the seams. This process, obviously, is very slow and tedious and results in uneven cleaning, inasmuch as it is impossible to rub all parts -of the skin uniformly.

Further, in the hand process the sawdust is flipped about by the hairy coating thus rendering `it diicult to mass the cleaning medium and concentrate -it on a single spot. I provide a device which may be selectivef ly moved over the surface to any part of the garment and is entirel enclosed to prevent scattering of the cleaning medium, which is capable of controlling the latter to apply a.given volume thereof over and over again its hairy coating under a constant uniform pressure so that all parts of the fur will be subjected to precisely the same cleaning operation, as distinguished from the uneven hand cleaning rocess.

A further o ject of the invention is to provide in connection with said mechanism, means whereby,'when the cleaning process is completed, the cleaning medium'may be extracted from the hairy coating and collected.

A present method of removing the cleaning medium from the fur, consists in subjecting the fur to a beating as by straps of leather or the like, to loosen the particles heldcaptive in the hairy coating, the beat# ing usually taking place in a current of air which is depended upon to carry oi the loosened particles as they bound into the air during the beating process. This, also, is a tedious, slow and ineiiicient process involving a subsequent vigorous shaking and brushing. By including in the mechanism this feature of extracting and collecting the cleaningV medium, I obviate eat expense over present methods, secure etter results with practically no injury to the hairy coating, as distinguished from the injurious strapping process described above.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out as this specification progresses, the invention consisting in the construction combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

-In .the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Fi ure `1, represents a perspective view of one ormof my improved fur cleaning device.

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the device showing it upside down.

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional .view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

F Fig-.4, is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 5, is an enlarged sectional view-on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

, hairy coating, and

Fig. 9, is a fragmentary v1ew of a detail.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention, which is specially adapted for use in cleaning fur hav ing a fine soft hairy coating grown thick on the skin, or for rugs, and the like, and which is provided with a motor adapted to be driven from a source of electric current such as an ordinary lamp socket.

In thedrawings 1 designates a somewhat elongated outer casing having parallel end walls 2, an outwardly inclined front wall 3, a preferably semi-circular rear wall 4, and a flat top wall 5. The top wall is formed with a longitudinally disposed hinge 6 extending parallel with the front wall and spaced forward of the vlongitudinal center of the casing, -whereby is formed the hinge cover or door 5', the latter having a down-- turned lip 5". By means of this door access is obtained to the interior of the casing.

The casing is open at its bottom, the opening being defined by the lower edges of the front and rear walls 3 and 4 respectively, said casing being formed with a pair of partition walls 7 and 8, which are parallel with the end walls 2 and spaced respectively, a relatively small distance therefrom to form wheel chambers 9, and a central relatively large brush chamber 10. ln the walls 3 and 4, spaced along the lower edges thereof, respectively, are the openings 10', which are in lateral alinement relative to the casing and adapted to receive the hooks 11 of the grate 12, said grate being here shown as consisting of side bars 13 and transverse bars 13 extending between said side bars. The transverse bars are preferably curved outwardly and may be sprung into straight contour to cause the hooks 11 to disengage the front and vrear walls when it is desired to remove the grate from the casing. The grate functions to prevent the pelt from Y wrinkling in the process of cleaning.

Rotatably supported by the end walls 2.

of the casing so as to rotate in a plane parallel with the former and be located approximately concentric with the semi-circular rear wall 4 of the casing, is the rotary ele?- ment or cylindrical 'bristle brush 14, said brush consisting of a central arbor or shaft 15, and a cylindrical bodyportion 16 carrying tufts of bristles 16 of uniform length to form a true cylindrical brush, as is best indicated in Figure 2. The tufts of bristles are preferably distributed over the cylin-v .drical bodv portion 16, in the form of opposed helices directed from a median line on said body portion outwardly and forwardly tion, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 7, for a purpose hereinafter to be explained.

In Figures 1 andv2 of the drawings, but one row of bristle tufts is shown, but it is to be understood that any chosen number of rows may be utilized as desired.

The rotary element is mounted in the end walls in the following manner Referring to Figure 9 of the drawings, the end walls are cut away to form downwardly opening journal receiving slideways 17, which extend preferably at right angles to the respective lower edges of the end walls. Fitting slidably into these slideways, one for each end wa'll, is the journal block 18 formed with parallel grooves 19 adapted to'slidably receivethe side edges of the slideway 17. The journal block is further provided with bolt holes 18 adapted to receive bolts 18, which latter are threaded into the openings 18' in the respective end walls.

The journal block is further formed with the journal 19', wherein is journaled the shaft 15 as shown in Figure 3. Rotatably mounted on said shaft, one for each of the wheel chambers, are the supporting wheels 20, the peripheries thereof extending slightly through the open bottom of the casing and slightly beyond the grate bars 13', as is best shown in Figure 3. y

The diameter of the cylindrical brush is preferably approximately equal to the diameter of the supporting wheels, which latter are adapted to roll over the dressed pelt or fur garment a as indicated in Figure 4, the garment being laid out on the flat surface of the work table a". The lower edge 4 of the. rear wall is so located relative to the brush as to approximately just contact with the bristles thereof or be brushed thereby while the lower edge 3' of the front wall is spaced an appreciable distance outwardly from the periphery of the brush to form a gap b therebetween.

` rlhe partition walls 7 and 8 are likewise -cut` away as at 21, to permit the rotary brush to be removed from the casing when the screws 18- of the journal box have been removed.

'Rigid on the shaft 15 outside of the end wall 2 adjacent the partition wall 8, .is the drivenrpulley 22,' having belt connection 23 with a driving -pulley 24 of the electric motor 25, the latter being preferably secured to the top of the casing Iand having its driving shaft 26 arranged parallel to the shaft 15. v Conductor wires 27 are provided, whereby the mtor may be connected with a source of electric current such as an ordlnary electric light socket (not shown). .A suitable switch 27v connected into the line serves to stop` and start the device as dein the direction of rotationof said body por-` the brush will rotate in the direction indi-l cated by the arrow in Figure 4:.

In operation a quantity of cleaning medium such 'as the sawdust c is placed upon the dressed pelt or garment and the device manipulated (as by means of the handle 28 provided for that purpose) to slowly traverse the pelt in engagement with the cleaning mediunn'the device beino slightly tilted rearwardly on the heel formedby the curved rear wall adjacent th'e edge 4.` as indicated in Figure 4, to thereby raise the lower edge 3 of the front wall t-o bring the i sawdust into engagement with the rapidly rotating brush. As the bristles approach the hairy covering and engage with it in their journey to the lower edge 4: of the rear wall, the sawdust is vigorously brushed .into commingling rel-ation with the hairycovering of the pelt as is best indicated in Figure 8. As the tuft passes the lower center of revolution, it will brush the sawdust past the edge 4 and into the semi-circular end of the casing as indicated in Figure 4. Thus, the rotating brush will carry the sawdust peripherally through the interior of the casing and deposit it on the inside of the inclined front wall 3 as is best indicated in Figure 5, when the sawdust will descend through the gap b into the path of the brush, and the process will be repeated. Thus, a definite quantity of cleaning medium may be whirled throughl a cycle or circuit within the casing as the machine is caused to traverse the pelt from place to place.

As the bristle tufts are of uniform size and flexibility, the cleanin medium is brought into engagement wlth the hairy covering at a constant uniform pressure, thus effecting an even cleaning operation in all parts of the pelt. After the pelt is thor oughly cleansed it is desirable that the cleaning medium be removed from the hairy covering. To accomplish this, with the same cleaning instrumentality, I have provided the collapsible shelf 29, extending swingably between the partit-ion walls 7 and 8, and having pivotal support 29 at its opposite ends in the walls 7 and 8, respectively. The free edge 30 of the shelf, when swung upwardly pastthe vertical as indicated in Figure 5, is on Ia level with the upper edge of the front wall 3, so that when the door or cover 5 is closed the shelf isrestricted in its inward swinging-movement. When it is desired to collect the cleaning medium, the shelf is swung rearwardly as indicated in Figure 4to bring its free end 30 into periph` eral contact with o-r close proximity to the rotating brush 14.. Thus, the sawdust is deposited onto the top of the shelf. The shelf is supported at each end by means of a set of pivotally connected links 31 and 32,

the former being pivotally connected by means of the pivot 33 to the respective partition walls and the latter by means of the pivot 34 to the opposite end of the shelf. The connected links may be bent upwardly and the shelf swung into the position shown in Figure 5. To pro-tect the running parts of the device a suitable guard plate 35 is provided, the latter being secured as by means of screws 35 to the casing.

By arranging the bristle tufts as described, the cleaning medium swept centerward, vand the sweeping or cleaning action is continuous inasmuch as the rear bristle tufts of an advance row, still engage the furi when the forward bristles of the next following row come into action. If the bristle tufts were arranged in lines parallel with the shaft 15, longitudinal gaps between the bristles would be formed, which would cause all the tufts to strike the hairy covering at .one time and tend to pull the hair and wrinkle the pelt.

I have found that a liberal sized gap between helical rows operates very satisfactory without injuring the fur.

-While I have shown supporting wheels to facili-tate manipulation of the device, it is to be understood that these are not absolutely essential as the casing may be slid on its underside and suitably tilted by pivoting i-t on its heel.

I claim:

1. A device for cleaning fur articles comprising a casing adapted to be readily moved over the hairy covering of a fur article, said casing including a front and rear wall lextending downwardly and inwardly to define an opening between their respective lower edges, and a power driven brushing mechanism including a cylindrical bristle brush rotatably mounted in said casingin a manner to extend through said opening and be spaced from the lower edge of said front wall and to peripherally engage when said mechanism is actuated the hairy covering of the fur article and brush over the lower edge of said rear wall for the purpose set forth.'

2. A device for cleaning fur articles, comprising a easing adapted to be slid over the `hairy covering vof a f ur article, said casing 'being disposed parallelwith the sides of said opening and the bristles thereof ex.

tending through said opening, into brushing engagement with the lower edge of said rear wall and the hairy covering of the fur article, when said brush 'is actuated and the casing is slid.

3. A device for cleaning fur articles comprising a closed casing formed with an elongated opening ofuniform widthv in its underside, said Ycasing being adapted to be readily moved over the hairy covering of the fur article, and a power driven brush rotatably mounted to rotate within the casing and extend with its periphery through said opening into brushing contact with the fur article, said brush being bodily positioned relative to said opening to completely o'bstruct the latter except for a relatively narrow space immediately adjacent one long side thereof.

4. A device for cleaning fur articles with a granular cleaning medium comprising a closed casing formed with an elongated opening nof uniform width in its underside, said casing being adapted to be moved over the hairy covering of the fur article and the cleaning medium applied thereto, and a rotary brush having connection with driving means vto be driven thereby, rotatably mounted to' rotate within the casing and extend sidewise in spaced relation relative to one long side of said opening through the latter into brushing contact with the fur article for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device -for cleaning fur articles comprising, in combinationpa closed casing formed with an elongated opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be bodily manipulated to traverse the hairy covering of a pelt, and a rotary brush having connection with driving means to be driven thereby rotatably mounted to rotate within the casing and extend through said opening to brush the pelt when the brush is actuated, said casing including a wall arranged parallel to said brush, at one side thereof, and spaced therefrom to form a gap therebetween in open communication with said opening, and a wall opposite the aforesaid wall and parallel therewith located on the other side of said brush and spaced therefrom and extending with its lower edge into contact with the periphery thereof.

6. In a device for cleaning fur articles, with a cleaning medium such as sawdust,

i comprising in combination, a closed casing formed with an elongated opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be bodily manipulated to traverse the hairy covering of a pelt, previously sprinkled with a cleaning medium, and power driven/brushing means including a motor adapted to be connected with a source of power and a rotary brush mounted to rotate within the casing and extend through said opening to brush the cleaning medium into the pelt when the brush is actuated, the surrounding walls of said casing including a wall located in front of said brush and spaced therefrom to form a space between in open communication with said opening, and a wall located behind saidbrush in parallelism therewith and spaced therefrom to conform to the periphery thereof, and have its lower edge sufficiently close to the brush to catch particles of cleaning material brushed from the pelt for the purpose set forth.

7. In a device for cleaning fur articles, with a cleaning medium such as sawdust, comprising in combination, a closed casing formed with an elongated opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be readily slid over the hairy covering of a pelt previously sprinkled with a cleaning medium, and a rotary brush adapted to be driven from a source of power to be rotated thereby, mounted to rotate within the casing and extend through said opening to brush cleaning medium against the pelt when the brush is actuated, said brush being positioned to brush over one of the long edges of the casing lforming the sides of said opening, and spaced grate bars extending across said opening for the purpose set forth.

8. In a device for cleaning fur articles by theJ use of a granular cleaning medium, comprising in combination, a .casing formed with an vopening in its underside adapted to be propelled over the hairy covering of the pelt, a rotary bristle brush mounted over said opening, extend with its bristly periphery into brushin contact with the hairy covering of the pe tand with one of the edges of the casing borderin on said opening, means for rotating said rush in the direction of said brush engaging edge, and a formation i n the casing structure whereby an area is formed within the casing, which area is in open communication with said opening and is traversed by the downwardly moving bristles of said brush when the latter is actuated, and is adapte-d to hold a supply of the cleaning medium i'n a manner to'cause it to fall during a cleaning operation into the path of the moving bristles to Ibe thereby carried in a continuous stream into frictional engagement with the hairy covering of the pelt concurrently with a sliding movement of the casin Y 9. i machine for rubbing a granular cleaning medium such as sawdust into the hairy covering of a pelt, comprislng in part an o nbottom casing adapted to be propelled over the hairy coverlng of the pelt upon which a granular cleaning material has been previously deposited, a power driven cylindrical rotary brush rotatably mounted in the casing, the periphery of thev brush extending through the open bottom of the casing into the depth of'said hairy covering to apply, when the brush is actuated, a continuous uniform wiping pressure against said cleaning material to force it inta frictional engagement with the individual hairs of the hairy covering.

10. A machine for brushing a quantity of to rotate within vthe casing and granular cleaning medium such as sawdust 1n a continuous stream into commmglin relation with the halry co'verlng of a pe t to -cleanse it, comprising in part, a casing which is adapted to be moved over. the halry covering, an opening in the underside of the casing through which the hairy covering projects and upon which latter the cleaning medium is placed, a power driven cylindri? edges of said opening to cause the cleaning medium tol be swept from said commingling relation into the interior of the casing in the direction of rotation of the brush and carried by the latter over the top thereof onto the pelt to be again brought into commingling relation with the pelt as before.

1l. The combination with a device as set forth in claim 10, of a shelf in front of the brush extending from theu wall of the casing to the periphery of the brush to catch the cleaning medium carried 'over by thelatter when the brush is actuated, and connecting means between said shelf and casing to enable said shelf to be folded against the wall of said casing.

12. In a device for brushing a granular cleaning medium into the hairy covering of a pelt to cleanse it, the combination, with a casing formed with an opening in its un# derside, said casing being adapted to be propelled over the hairy covering and the cleaning medium deposited thereon, a rotary brush mounted in a manner relative to said opening to extend through the latter and initially brush cleaning medium into com-v mingling relation with the hair of the pelt and finally out of same and into said casing and carry it over the top of the brush back to the pelt, to be again brushed into the hairy covering as before when the brush is actuated to thereby effect a continuous crcuitous movement of `the cleaning medium, and means for rotating said brush; of a pair of supporting wheels v for supporting said brush in proper operative position relative tothe elt one for each end of the brush,

said w eels being rotatably supported on saidcasing to rotate about the axis of rotation of said brush.

13. In 'a device for brushingI a granular cleaning medium into the hairy covering of a pelt to cleanse it, the combination witha casing formed with an opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be* propelled over the hairy covering and the cleaning medium deposited thereon, a rotary brush mounted in a manner relative to said opening to extend through the latter and initially brush cleaning medium into commingling relation with the hair of'a pelt' and finally out of same and into said casing and carry it over the top of the brush back to the pelt, to be again brushed into the hairy covering as before, when the brush is actuated, to thereby effect a continuous circuitous movement of the cleaning medium and means for rotating said brush; of means within the casing located in front of said brush in the path of the circulating cleaning medium for intercepting and holding the latter, said means including an inclined plate hingedly mounted on the casing to enable the plate to be swung out of the path of the cleaning medium.

14. In a device for brushing a granular cleaninfr medium into the hairy covering of a pelt to cleanse it, the combination with a casing formed with an opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be propelled over the hairy covering and the clean ing medium deposited thereon, a rotary brush mounted in a manner relative to said opening to extend through the latter and initially brush cleaning medium into commingling relation with the hair of a pelt and finally out of same and into said casing and carry it over the top of the brush back to the pelt, to. be again brushed into the hairy covering as before, when the brush is actuated, to thereby effect a continuous circuitous movement of the cleaning medium and means for rotating said brush; of means Within the casing forward of said brush adapted to be extended into the path of said circulating cleaning medium for intercepting and holding the latter, and an opening fitted within a closure, inthe wall of the casing to gain access to said means. A

15. In a device for brushing a granular cleaningmedium into the hairy covering of a pelt to cleanse it, the combination of a casing formed with an opening in its underside, said casing being adapted to be propelled over the hairy covering and the cleanin medium deposited thereon, a rotary brus rotatably mounted lin a manner relative to said opening to extend through the latter and initially brush cleaning medium into.

commingling relation with the hair of the pelt and finally out of same and into said casing and carry it over the top of the brush back to the pelt, to be again brushed into the hairy covering as before, when the brush is actuated, to thereby effect a continuous circuitous movement of the cleaning medium and means for rotating said brush; and a. handle for the casing whereby the latter may be propelled over the pelt..and tilted rearwardly to raise the front thereof over piles of cleaning material to brin the latter into operative relation with the irush.

16. In a device for brushing a granular cleaning medium into the hairy covering of a pelt to cleanse it, the combination of a casing formed with an opening in its underside, said 1casing being adapted to be propelled over the hairy covering and the cleaning medium deposited thereon, a rotary brush mounted in a manner relative to said opening to extend through the latter and initially brush cleaning medium into commingling relation with the hair of the pelt and finally out of same and into said casing and carry-it over the top of the brush back to the pelt, to be again brushed into the hairy covering as before, when the brush is actuated, to

thereby effect a continuous circuitous movement of the cleaning medium and means for t spaced rows of radial bristle tufts extending longitudinally of said body membery on the periphery thereof, each row being* crooked to a degree intermediate its ends to cause one row to overlap the adjacent row for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

OTTO HOLS EIN. 

